Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Early Evening Posts 4-22 #SOSchat #p2 #edreform

ED News Worth Reading April 2011 at Pinterest.

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 12 minutes ago

ED News Worth Reading April 2011:ED News Worth Reading April 2011ED News Worth Reading April 2011https://pinterest.com/coopmike48/ed-news-worth-reading-april-2011/

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: CORONA-NORCO USD IN INLAND EMPIRE GIVES TEACHERS THE FREEDOM TO EXPERIMENT INSTEAD OF PRESCRIBED LESSON PLANS, boosting scores and graduation rates in the heavily Latino, low-income district.

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 12 minutes ago

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: CORONA-NORCO USD IN INLAND EMPIRE GIVES TEACHERS THE FREEDOM TO EXPERIMENT INSTEAD OF PRESCRIBED LESSON PLANS, boosting scores and graduation rates in the heavily Latino, low-income district.: CORONA-NORCO USD IN INLAND EMPIRE GIVES TEACHERS THE FREEDOM TO EXPERIMENT INSTEAD OF PRESCRIBED LESSON PLANS, boosting scores and graduation rates in the heavily Latino, low-income district.BY STEPHEN CEASAR, LOS ANGELES TIMES|HTTP://LAT.MS/HY6CGRAlejandra Zamora, left, and Saraiyah Hatter at Santiago High. As head of the ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: A Tale of Two Videos

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Jersey Jazzman: A Tale of Two Videos: A Tale of Two VideosbyDukeFirst, watch this (h/tBrian Page):PopoutThen, watch this (finally found a work-safe version):PopoutThey spend billions of dollars every year lobbying -- lobbying to get what they want. Well, we know what they want -- they want MORE for themselves and less for everybody else. But I'll tell you what they don't want.They

Don’t sit under the banana tree with anyone else but Rhee: Michele Rhee invited to speak to for-profit college “union” for $50K | Dailycensored.com

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 12 minutes ago

Don’t sit under the banana tree with anyone else but Rhee: Michele Rhee invited to speak to for-profit college “union” for $50K | Dailycensored.com: Don’t sit under the banana tree with anyone else but Rhee: Michele Rhee invited to speak to for-profit college “union” for $50KWritten byDanny WeilBusiness,Education,MediaApr 21, 2012 On January 23 the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities (APSCU), the trade “union” group for for-profit colleges in the United States, announced that former president George W. Bush ...more »

Jersey Jazzman: Some Of the Evaluation; All Of the Decision

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Jersey Jazzman: Some Of the Evaluation; All Of the Decision: Some Of the Evaluation; All Of the DecisionbyDuke There is a recurring theme in reformy teacher evaluation schemes: "We're not encouraging teaching to the test, because we're usingmultiple measures. The test scores will only be x% of the teachers evaluation. Stop worrying!"This theme is important to selling the plan, because even the reformyists acknowledge that teaching to the test will stifle children's learning. They also inherently acknowledge that taking a ... more »

School Tech Connect: You Know It's A Bad Idea When...

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School Tech Connect: You Know It's A Bad Idea When...: You Know It's A Bad Idea When...bynoreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman)I just now noticed thatDavid Brooks just made an argumentfor something like value-added assessments at college, which illustrates the adage, "If there's a really, really bad idea, then David Brooks will be in favor of it and will in fact become this instant expert on it because as a person who is essentially a blogger with a column in a newspaper, that ... more »

Educator and Parent Opts Out in New Jersey | United Opt Out National

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Educator and Parent Opts Out in New Jersey | United Opt Out National: Educator and Parent Opts Out in New Jerseybyadmin Good afternoon.Please be advised that I do not permit my childrento participate in the NJ ASK or any other standardized testing for state report cards and NCLB/RTTT accountability. I believe that this kind of testing is, at best, counter-productive and perhaps even harmful to my children’s education and development. My position is based on my conscientious objection to the ... more »

Inside FCAT 2.0: What Changes Mean for Teachers, Students « Tangerine, Florida

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Inside FCAT 2.0: What Changes Mean for Teachers, Students « Tangerine, Florida: Inside FCAT 2.0: What Changes Mean for Teachers, Studentsby5redherrings April 20, 2012 | 2:41 PMBy Sarah GonzalezDanna Contreras doesn’t like the new FCAT.The sophomore at Booker T. Washington High School in Miami emigrated from Columbia three years ago.She wears thick, pink-rimmed glasses and she squints a lot. She says the new computerized version is harder to take.“I think I am better with paper, not on the computer because ... more »

Sunday links. « Fred Klonsky

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Sunday links. « Fred Klonsky: Sunday links.byFred KlonskyJohn Dillon explains the meaning ofschadnfreude.“Glad it’s you and not me, pal.” If you are a retired Illinois teacher and think that Quinn’s pension plan keeps you and yours safe,think again.The New York Timesfinallydiscoversthe dirty deeds of ALEC.Why the US is destroying it education system. ”A nation that destroys its systems of education, degrades its public information, guts its public libraries and turns its airwaves into vehicles for cheap, mindless amusement becomes deaf, ... more »

Meanwhile, Rick Scott Vetoed Funding for a Grad School Which Actually Generates STEM Professionals | Scathing Purple Musings

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Meanwhile, Rick Scott Vetoed Funding for a Grad School Which Actually Generates STEM Professionals | Scathing Purple Musings: 'Meanwhile, Rick Scott Vetoed Funding for a Grad School Which Actually Generates STEM ProfessionalsbyBob SikesLost in all theoutcry of opponentsand the sanctimonious hyperventilation of supporters over the creation of Florida Polytech, was a story which received only local coverage. On Tuesday, Rick Scott vetoed funding which would have gone towardFAMU’s new pharmacy schoollocated in Crestview.A $1.5 million gubernatorial veto of funding for ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Early Evening Posts 4-21 #SOSchat #p2 #edreform

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President Obama Calls on Congress to Prevent Student Loan Interest Rates from Doubling | ED.gov BlogBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-4 minutes agoPresident Obama Calls on Congress to Prevent Student Loan Interest Rates from Doubling | ED.gov Blog: President Obama Calls on Congress to Prevent Student Loan Interest Rates from DoublingbyCameron Brenchley“In America, higher education cannot be a luxury,” President Obama said in his weekly address. “It’s an economic imperative that every family must be able to afford.” At ... more »

Illinois Democrat’s plan to blow up the public school system. « Fred Klonsky

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Illinois Democrat’s plan to blow up the public school system. « Fred Klonsky: Illinois Democrat’s plan to blow up the public school system.byFred KlonskyIllinois is a blue state.We’re not talking about Walker’s Wisconsin or Kasich’s Ohio.We talking Democrats. Chicago’s Mayor Emanuel. Governor Quinn. Party Chairman and Speaker Madigan. Senate President Cullerton.Governor Pat Quinn’s pension proposal, which he claims he was “put on this earth” to create, will blow up the state’s public schools just as sure as I’m writing this.And ... more »

Wal-Mart: Quite The Model Corporate Citizen | Edwize

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Wal-Mart: Quite The Model Corporate Citizen | Edwize: Wal-Mart: Quite The Model Corporate CitizenbyLeo CaseyIn a major expose, theNew York Timeshas revealeda trail of corruption, bribery and cover-up at the highest levels of Wal-Mart, a leading corporate funder of anti-union and anti-public education projects and initiatives.Thelist of 2011 granteesof the Walton Family Foundation, the Wal-Mart’s corporate foundation, reads like a veritable who’s who of corporate education reform efforts. Among the more prominent beneficiaries of Wal-Mart money are:Michelle Rhee’s and Joel ... more »

COMMENT WOW: Charter schools a dividing issue in Sacramento County OR Thank You Gloria you Charter Queen

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 18 hours ago

Charter schools a dividing issue in Sacramento County education board races - Elections - The Sacramento Bee: In response to questions regarding the financial viability of Fortune (and Kevin Johnson's St. Hope), Greg Geeting sent me a 'study' of African American performance differentials in Sacramento and the state that had been the basis for the SCOE board's majority decision to fund Fortune, which wasn't a 'study' at all, but rather a mere fifteen or so page series of bars and ... more »

Action for the Week of April 22nd, 2012: Blast the Media with THIS STORY | United Opt Out National

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Action for the Week of April 22nd, 2012: Blast the Media with THIS STORY | United Opt Out National: Action for the Week of April 22nd, 2012: Blast the Media with THIS STORYHere at United Opt Out National we focus on opting out of corporate education reform. One way to “opt out” is to refuse the state test. By refusing to take the state test we deny them the data they need to profit and punish. This is no ordinary ... more »

CM Barron Blast’s Co-location Proposals at Council Hearing [Video] « New York City Parents Union

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CM Barron Blast’s Co-location Proposals at Council Hearing [Video] « New York City Parents Union: CM Barron Blast’s Co-location Proposals at Council Hearing [Video]The issue of co-locating charter and public schools in the same building is a contentious one, and at an education hearing discussing the topic yesterday afternoon, the first two Council Members to speak thoroughly attacked the proposals in their districts.“Co-location has been nothing but chaos,” East New York Councilman Charles Barron declared while criticizing the poor graduation ... more »

How Democrats Are Abandoning the Most Vulnerable in Our Public Schools | Scathing Purple Musings

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How Democrats Are Abandoning the Most Vulnerable in Our Public Schools | Scathing Purple Musings: How Democrats Are Abandoning the Most Vulnerable in Our Public SchoolsbyBob SikesOne wonders what lateSenatorTed Kennedywould make of the current school reform movement. The senate icon, who is widely seen as the father and champion of special education in the nation’s public schools, died in 2009 before folks like Michelle Rhee and the rich guys of Democrats for Education Reform took to the national stage. ... more »

Parents Across America members meet with USDE, saying: “Listen to parents, change your policy direction.” | Seattle Education

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Parents Across America members meet with USDE, saying: “Listen to parents, change your policy direction.” | Seattle Education: Parents Across America members meet with USDE, saying: “Listen to parents, change your policydirection.”Posted onApril 21, 2012byseattleducation2011|Leave a commentPress Release:WASHINGTON, D. C. – Several members ofParents Across America (PAA), a national network of activist parents, participated in a Parent Leaders meeting today hosted by the U. S. Department of Education’s Office of Communications and Outreach. Attending the USDE meeting were PAA members ... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Why do we Need a State Board of Education in Missouri?

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Missouri Education Watchdog: Why do we Need a State Board of Education in Missouri?: Why do we Need a State Board of Education in Missouri?bystlgretchenThe Teacher Evaluation System is Changing in Missouri according to KCEducation Enterprise.DESE and the State Board of Education is being led around the nose by the Federal Government again. Why do we need a State Board of Education or DESE when all the decisions are being made by the Department of Education? As practically all educational ... more »

ILLINOIS GOVERNOR REVEALS PENSION REFORM PLAN « Teachers Fight Back

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ILLINOIS GOVERNOR REVEALS PENSION REFORM PLAN « Teachers Fight Back: ILLINOIS GOVERNOR REVEALS PENSION REFORM PLANbyalkleenI won’t go into details about the “Reform Plan”, I’m sure you have heard and read about it in the news. Idoubt it will beacted uponby the legislature until afterthe November election. The legislators don’t have the intestinal fortitude to consider anything until the election is over.I do want to comment on the message that it sends to the teachers of Illinois. I believe the ... more »

Saturday coffee + Old school. « Fred Klonsky

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Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky: Saturday coffee.byFred KlonskyPopoutI was president of our local for ten years and I hated the last two months of the school year.That is when administrators made decisionsThat is never a good thing.Yesterday we got a memo from our Type 75 (who will not be back next year). She hasn’t done the required fireOld school.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGgafB0RmE8feature=related

Cory Booker on Newark creating 'village' for teachers: 'This is how we reinvent a great American city' - NorthJersey.com

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Cory Booker on Newark creating 'village' for teachers: 'This is how we reinvent a great American city' - NorthJersey.com: SATURDAY APRIL 21, 2012, 12:06 PMCory Booker on Newark creating 'village' for teachers: 'This is how we reinvent a great American city'ASSOCIATED PRESSTHE RECORDPAGES:12DISPLAY ON ONE PAGE|PRINT|E-MAILNEWARK — They are two of the most persistent challenges in trying to rebuild long-struggling cities like Newark: improving the schools and growing a middle class.Here, officials are hoping that a novel concept — reserving ... more »

NSBA President’s letter to Obama: please change direction! « Parents Across America

NSBA President’s letter to Obama: please change direction! « Parents Across America:

NSBA President’s letter to Obama: please change direction!

by leoniehaimson

“…school board members and top educational thinkers overwhelming urge abandoning the current “command-and-control” federal educational oversight…driving us toward mediocrity….Mr. President, public education in the U.S. is on the wrong track. As we have moved decision-making farther 

Bridgeport Schools Going Private With Taxpayer Money? - Jonathan Kantrowitz - Connecticut News

Bridgeport Schools Going Private With Taxpayer Money? - Jonathan Kantrowitz - Connecticut News:

Bridgeport Schools Going Private With Taxpayer Money?

April 22, 2012 at 3:18 pm by Jonathan Kantrowitz

by Jon Pelto from Wait, What

This week we learned that Governor Malloy and his education commissioner, Stefan Pryor hired certain consultants to help develop Malloy’s “Education Reform” bill. Rather than go through some silly competitive bidding process, they simply got a quasi-state agency, SERC to hire the two consultants; one for $195,000 and the other for $60,000.

The State Department of Education then reimburses SERC with funds from its budget and it’s all legal (maybe, sort of).

But that is nothing compared to what is quietly taking place in Bridgeport.

Bridgeport is taking it to a whole new level – an approach that saves time and energy by creating a system in which hundreds of millions in school funding can be moved “off- line.”

When Mayor Bill Finch and Fairfield County businessmen got tired of having to deal with elected member

Andrea Merida on why Denver school board should reject Gates grant « Parents Across America

Andrea Merida on why Denver school board should reject Gates grant « Parents Across America:

Andrea Merida on why Denver school board should reject Gates grant

by leoniehaimson

See video below of Andrea Merida, a member of the Denver school board and Parents Across America, on why they should reject a grant from the ALEC-linked Gates Foundation. [For more on this issue, see the Gates website ,including comments from critics.] In her message on vimeo, Andrea asks:

Why are the Denver Public Schools accepting money from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, especially when Gates also funds the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)? Gates is paying for ALEC to run anti-union, anti-immigrant, and anti-middle class legislation all over the country. Is this okay with you, Denver? Ask your school board member about alternatives. Email them at board@dpsk12.org

NYC Public School Parents: NYC principal opting her own children out of testing

NYC Public School Parents: NYC principal opting her own children out of testing:

NYC principal opting her own children out of testing

by Leonie Haimson

Here is a letter from a NYC principal who spoke outagainst standardized testing and corporate education reform on WNYC radio, whenBrian Lehrer had Michelle Rhee as his guest.   She sent the below letter,about opting her children out of testing in the Ridgewood NJ public schools,  to their principals,teachers, the superintendent, the NCLB administrator, guidance counselors,Special Education supervisor, etc. The official response so far has beenfrom the superintendent, who made a veiled threat that she could be reportedfor truancy for keeping her children out of school on these days. The letterhas been slightly revised to omit the names of her children and their schools.

Goodafternoon.

 Pleasebe advised that I do not permit my children, to participate in the NJ ASK orany other standardized testing for state report cards and NCLB/RTTTaccountability. I believe that this kind of testing is, at best,counter-productive and perhaps even harmful to my children’s education anddevelopment. My position is based on my conscientious 

What Do New Studies Say Happens If You Are Treated Unfairly And/Or Feel Controlled? | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…

What Do New Studies Say Happens If You Are Treated Unfairly And/Or Feel Controlled? | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…:

What Do New Studies Say Happens If You Are Treated Unfairly And/Or Feel Controlled?

by Larry Ferlazzo

Prof. Armin Falk, a professor at Bonn University, unveiled some very intriguing studies on motivation last week. I’ll provide a short summary of how I believe some of his key findings can be applied to education. You can also read a more extensive report here, review one of the studies here, and/or watch a video of his talk that I’ve embedded in this post (I’d suggest you skip to the fourteen minute mark).
I’ve previously shared Daniel Pink’s findings on the importance of “baseline rewards”:
Pink also points out that everyone needs “baseline rewards.” These are the basics of adequate “compensation.” At school, baseline rewards might include students expecting fair grading, a caring teacher who works to provide engaging lessons, a clean classroom. If the baseline needs are not met, then the person’s “focus will be on the unfairness of her situation and the anxiety of her circumstance….You’ll get neither the predictability of extrinsic motivation nor the weirdness of intrinsic motivation. You’ll get very little motivation at all.”
Falk studied the idea of fairness, which I think can be described as the same or very similar to the concept of “baseline rewards.” In his studies (his first one focuses on people feeling like they are treated equally like their colleagues, which is interesting and unsurprising, but not important for this discussion — I’m referring to his 

What Works in Education | Seattle Education

What Works in Education | Seattle Education:

What Works in Education

by seattleducation2011

There are many successful programs that work around the country in terms of educating our students and one that was successful on a national level was the original war on poverty which was paid for by public funds.
As Linda Darling-Hammond wrote in her book,  The Flat World and Education:
 How Policy Can Matter
…These declines are not inevitable. We have made strong headway on educational achievement in the past and can do so again. At this moment in history, it is easy to forget that during the years following Brown v. Board vs Education, when desegregation and school finance reform efforts were launched, and when the Great Society’s War on Poverty increased investments in urban and poor rural schools, substantial gains were made in equalizing both educational inputs and outcomes. Gaps in school spending, access to qualified teachers, and access to higher education were smaller in the mid- to late 1970s than they had been before and, in many states, than they have been since.
Driven by the belief that equal educational opportunity was a national priority, the Elementary and Secondary